Container neck cap and seal arrangement



Jan. 3, 1967 A. E. HANSON 3,295,725

CONTAINER NECK CAP AND SEAL ARRANGEMENT 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 9, 1965 INVENTOR. AEA/OLO E. HAM/saw 12y ATTORNEYS Jan. 3, WW A. E. HANSON CONTAINER NECK CAP AND SEAL ARRANGEMENT 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 9, 1965 HY ATTORNEYS Jan. 3, 1967 A. E. HANSON 3,295,726

CONTAINER NECK CAP AND SEAL ARRANGEMENT 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April 9, 1965 INVENTOR. 40/04 0 5 flm/a OA/ BY 2 W- ATTORNEYS United States Patent Ofiice 3,295,726 Patented Jan. 1?, I96? 3,295,726 CONTAINER NECK CAP AND SEAL ARRANGEMENT Arnold E. Hanson, 2940 Lorain Road, San Marino, Calif. 91108 Filed Apr. 9, 1965, Ser. No. 446,876 Claims. (Cl. 222-109) This invention relates in general to the capping and sealing of containers and more particularly to a cap and hinged lid sealing arrangement for containers.

Various forms of closure members have been used in the past for the sealing of containers such as glass or plastic bottles, and metal tubes or cans. In many cases these sealing arrangements were formed as part of the container to insure a very tight and leak-proof seal. However, once the seal is broken to allow access to the container contents, the sealing arrangement in most cases is not thereafter reusable with the same degree of sealing effectiveness as in the original configuration.

Also, in the case of bottles or tubes having externally threaded necks, the usual sealing arrangement is to provide a threaded cap which screws down tight on the neck to seal the container. Although the original package provides a very secure and tight seal, the sealing qualities of such an arrangement depend on a thin piece of cork or other resilient material placed in the bottom of the cap, and there is thus some loss in sealing effectiveness after subsequent use of this arrangement.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a positive sealing arrangement for containers.

Another object of this invention is to provide a positive sealing arrangement for containers which is repetitive even after long use.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a cap and hinged lid arrangement for sealing containers.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a positive seal for containers which forms a secure seal inside of the containers.

It is another object of this invention to provide a secure seal for containers and yet allow the contents to be readily dispensed from the container when desired.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide a cap and positive seal arrangement for containers having threaded necks.

Other objects and advantages of this invention and a fuller understanding of the nature thereof may be had by referring to the claims and to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view of a container neck cap and sealing arrangement according to the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the arrangement shown FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional elevational view showing one embodiment of a cap and seal arrangement constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional elevational view of the sealing arrangement of FIGURE 3, shown in the unsealed or open position;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional elevational view of a sealing arrangement having slots to allow excess container material to re-enter the container;

FIGURE 6 is a plan view of the embodiment shown in FIGURE 5 in the unsealed or open position;

FIGURE 7 is a partial sectional elevational view of a cap and seal arrangement in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIGURE 8 is a plan view of the sealing arrangement shown in FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 9 is a partial sectional view of the scaling arrangement of FIGURE 7, shown in the unsealed or open position;

FIGURE 10 is an enlarged sectional view of the sealing arrangement of FIGURE 7, adapted for use with containers having threaded necks.

In one aspect of this invention a cap formed of a resilient plastic material engages the container neck. Formed integrally with the cap is a hinge connected lid with a plug seal which protrudes within and seals the inside of the container neck. The lid and cap are formed with a snap-in type of seal, and the lid may be conveniently and readily flipped up to unseal the container. The integrally formed cap, flip-top lid, and the plug and snap-in seals insure a capping and sealing arrangement for containers which will positively and securely seal the container contents effectively even under repetitive use.

For convenience, one of the arrangements features a pouring spout which is molded into the cap portion, which arrangement is especially attractive for use with presentday coffee cans.

A more detailed description of the present invention will not be presented, and reference may be had to FIG- URE l which illustrates a container 10 and a capping and sealing arrangement generally indicated as Ill. The container It may, of course, be of plastic, glass, or as shown in FIGURE 1 a soft metal toothpaste tube which is sealed at an end I2 and has a dispensing end 13 for dispensing the toothpaste held within the container 10.

Scaling the dispenser end 13 and forming a part of the cap and seal arrangement 11 is a cap 14 which engages the dispensing end 13 and forms a base for a lid 15 which is connected to the cap 14 by a hinge I6. Integral with the lid 15 and projecting therefrom is a tab 17 which extends somewhat over the cap 14 to provide a bearing surface to lift the lid 15 from the cap 14, and thereby unsealing the dispensing end 13 of the container 10.

The entire cap and seal arrangement 11 is formed of a resilient plastic material, such as polyethylene, or polypropylene with the hinge 16 providing by itself a live hinge effect obtained by means well-known in the plastic molding art. In FIGURE 2 there is shown the hinge I6 somewhat narrower than and integrally molded to one end of the lid 15. The other end of the lid 15 ends in the projecting tab 17, so that raising of the lid from the cap 14 by exerting pressure on the tab 17 unseals the container 10 and permits the lid 15 to be readily available for resealing purposes.

Referring now to FIGURE 3 the details of the cap and seal arrangement 11 can be described. There is shown in FIGURE 3 only the upper portion of container If which includes the dispensing end I3 which ends in a neck 18. The neck 18 has formed there around an external thread 19 which engages an internal thread 20 integrally molded in the cap 14. The cap 14 completely surrounds the neck 18 of the container Ill and extends from a lid engaging end 21 to a bottom ledge 22 which lies adjacent to the junction 2.3 between the dispensing end 13 and the neck 18. The cap 14- is screwed onto the neck 18 until an inner wall stop 24 butts against the top 25 of the neck 18.

In FIGURE 3 the cap and seal arrangement is shown in the sealing position to positively seal the dispensing end 13 of the container 10. One part of this seal is formed by an integral plug 26 which extends from the lid 15 and projects past the lid engaging end 21, into the container neck 18 to firmly seat against an inside wall 27 of the neck .18. The diameter of the plug 26 is formed slightly larger than the diameter of the inner wall 27, so that the plug 26 snugly fits into the neck 18 and effectively seals the dispensing end 13.

In the cap 14 and at the lid engaging end 21 there is formed a snap-in seal 28 which is the second part of 3 the seal provided for the container 10. The construction details for this seal 28 can be more clearly explained with reference to FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 4 shows the cap and seal arrangement 11 in the unsealed or open position to separate the snap-in seal 28 into a portion 28a molded into the cap 14, and the portion 28b molded into the lid 15. A cavity 29 is formed in the lid engaging end 21 of the cap 14 with an overhanging ledge 3t? in the form of a disc extending into the cavity 29 so as to form an L-shaped cavity in cross-section. Forming the upper half 28b on the lid 15 of the snap-in seal 28 is a rim 31 which ends in a protruding lip 32:. In operation, as the lid 15 is moved to engage the cap 14 to place the rim 311 into the cavity 29', the protruding lip 32 snaps over the ledge 3% to lie in the cavity 29 immediately below and locked by the ledge 39. Referring to FIGURE 3 for clarification, the rim 31 is seen in the cavity 29, with the lip 32 looked under the overhanging disc or ledge 30.

It may be noted that a skirt extension 33 of the cap 14 extends beyond the cavity 29 and alongside the rim 31 to provide a sanitary skirt and prevent foreign matter from entering the cavity 29.

In some applications the particular type of material in the container 10 may have a tendency to be trapped in the cavity 29, thus making operation of the snap-in seal 28 somewhat less than desirable. For these conditions the snap-in seal arrangement 11 may be modified to obtain the embodiment shown in FIGURES and 6. There is illustrated therein a similar cap and seal arrangement 11', including a cap 14, a lid 15, and a hinge I6 integral with and interconnecting the cap 14 with the lid 15. This embodiment also includes the tab 17 and internal threads 20' for mounting of the cap 14 on a container (not shown), similar to the mounting of the cap and seal arrangement 11 on the container as illustrated in FIGURE 3.

A snap-in seal 28' is formed by a rim 31 with a protruding lip 32' which snaps over an overhanging ledge 30' into a cavity 2%. To prevent material within the container from lodging itself within the cavity 29 there is provided a matching slot configuration between the cap 14 and the lid Referring to FIGURE 6 for this detail, the cap 14 and lid 15 are shown in their unsealed or open position. A portion on opposite sides of the lid engaging end 21 has been slotted to form a pair of slots 34 which are 180 apart on the lid engaging end 21. This allows the cavity 29' to communicate through the lid engaging end 21 through the slots 34. Similar matching slots 35 are provided on the slotted plug 26, and in such a position that when the lid 15' engages the cap 14 the cavity 29 will communicate with the slots 35. It can thus be seen that excess material is prevented from accumulating within the cavity 29' by providing a return path from the cavity 29 through slots 34 into the lid engaging end 21' and through the slots 35 in the slotted plug 26 back to the inside of the container neck.

In the remaining FIGURES 7-10 there is shown another embodiment of a cap and seal arrangement which employs a snap'in type of seal and a plug seal to positively and effectively repetitively seal a container. In FIGURE 7this cap and seal arrangement 36 is shown in sealing engagement with a thin walled container 37 such as a normal coffee can or canister type of container. The cap and seal arrangement 36 is formed of a resilient plastic material such as polyethylene or polypropylene, and includes a cap 38 which is snugly fitted to the container 37 and a lid 3% in sealing engagement with the container 37 and the cap 38. The lid 39 is adapted to be flipped up from the cap 38 by means of an integral hinge 46, which is similarly formed as the hinge 16 previously described, so as to obtain a live hinge effect. At the other end of tie lid 39 there is provided 4 a tab 41 upon which pressure may be put to disengage the lid 39 from the cap 38.

The lid 39 is formed with a plug 42 and a lip 43 integral with the plug 42 and of a slightly greater diameter. The lip 43 is sized so that in the sealing position shown in FIGURE 7 there is frictional engagement between the lip 43 and an inside wall 44 in the neck of the container 37 to thus provide a positive and efiec tive seal. To insure the effectiveness of this seal the interior of the plug 42 is formed with four support ribs 45 placed from each other around the circumference of the inner plug. The ribs 45 tend to urge the plug 42 against the Wall 44 to provide a positive con tainer seal.

The cap 38 has an exterior wall 46 and an interior wall 47 providing a mounting cavity therebetween. The cavity formed by the exterior wall 46 and interior Wall 47 is sized so as to firmly grip a neck 48 of the container 37 which is inserted into the cavity. As is seen in the FIGURE 7, the lip 43 protrudes past the cap 38 to sealingly engage the container inner wall 44 and the interior wall 47 of the cap 38.

In the cap 38 there is molded a pouring spout 49 which will allow contents of the container 37 to be poured-therefrom when the lid 39 is in an unsealed or open position, This is better illustrated with reference to FIGURE 8 which illustrates a plan view of the cap 38 with the lid 39 disengaged. The pouring spout 4? is shown as integrally molded with the cap 38 and includes retaining walls 50 to form a depressed spout area 51.

FIGURE 9 illustrates the lid 39 in an unsealed or open position and attached by the hinge 4th to the cap 38. This figure illustrates the formation of a snap-in sealing at rangement similar to that described for the previous em bodlment. This snap-in seal is formed by an annular groove 52 formed in the outer wall of the plug 42. The groove 52 mates with a bead 53 which is integral to and protrudes from the interior wall 47 of the cap 38. Thus, when the lid 3% is lowered to engage the cap 38, the lip 43 passes through the cap 38 and frictionally engages the inner wall 44 to securely seal the neck 48, the groove 52 snapping over and into the mating bead 53. As can best be seen in FIGURE 8, the bead 53 is not formed across the pouring spout 49, so that there will be an unobstructed opening for the container contents flowing out of the spout 49.

FIGURE 10 illustrates the details of construction of a cap and seal arrangement similar to that of FIGURES 79 for use on a container having a threaded neck. The container 54 has a threaded neck 55 and is provided with a cap and seal arrangement 36' which is basically of the same construction as that shown on FIGURES 7*9. In particular, an exterior wall 46' is formed with an internal thread 56, which matches the thread on the neck 55. The exterior wall 46' and the interior wall 47' are also formed so as to firmly grip the threaded neck 55. It is understood, of course, that the embodiment shown in FIG- URE 10 also includes a hinged lid, a snap-in seal, and a plug seal with a protruding lip the details of which are clearly shown in FIGURES 7-9 and which have been described previously.

Although the drawings and specification present a detailed disclosure of preferred embodiments of the present invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific forms disclosed, but covers all modifications, changes and alternative constructions falling within the scope of the principles taught by the invention.

I claim as my invention:

1 A container neck cap and seal arrangement comprising:

a resilient cap in firm fitting engagement with said neck,

said cap defining an aperture therethrough,

said aperture being of substantially the same diameter as and in register with the interior of said neck,

a resilient lid hinged to said cap and having a plug por tion protruding within and seated against the interior of said container neck to form a first container seal,

and said lid and cap forming a snap-in second container seal.

2. In accordance with claim 1 wherein said cap has an outwardly directed end face formed about the aperture and said lid has an associated end face formed about said plug portion,

the end face of said cap having an annular groove formed therein,

said annular groove having an undercut portion,

the end face of said lid having a rim terminating in a said rim being receivable within said groove and said lip being receivable within the undercut portion when a closing pressure is applied between the lid and the cap.

3. In accordance with claim 2 wherein said annular groove and undercut portion thereof comprises an L-shaped lock groove and wherein said rim and lip in combination comprises an L-shaped annular rib for interlocking with the L-shaped groove when a closing pressure is applied between the lid and the cap.

4. In accordance with claim 1 wherein means are provided for interconnecting said groove with the inside of said container neck to provide a return path for excess container contents which might otherwise collect in said groove.

5. In accordance with claim 4 wherein both said cap and said plug portion of said lid have slots therethrough to cooperatively provide a continuous ret urn path from the groove to the inside of the container when the lid is in a closed position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,886,218 5/1959 Marcus 222-562 X 2,932,436 4/1960 Dobbins 222-563 X 2,961,119 11/1960 Leach 220-306 3,059,816 10/1962 Goldstein 222-109 3,113,693 12/1963 Stull.

3,117,702 1/1964 Henchert 222-543 3,122,287 2/1964 Makonski 222-546 X 3,124,281 3/1964 Stull 222-542 3,155,285 11/1964 Van Baarn 222-546 X 3,198,393 8/1965 Kitterman 222-109 3,220,619 11/1965 Lodding et al 222-543 X 3,223,298 12/1965 Robertson et al 222-562 3,240,405 3/1966 Abbott 222-546 X RAPHAEL M. LUPO, Primary Examiner. 

1. A CONTAINER NECK CAP AND SEAL ARRANGEMENT COMPRISING: A RESILIENT CAP IN FIRM FITTING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID NECK, SAID CAP DEFINING AN APERTURE THERETHROUGH, SAID APERTURE BEING OF SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME DIAMETER AS AND IN REGISTER WITH THE INTERIOR OF SAID NECK, A RESILIENT LID HINGED TO SAID CAP AND HAVING A PLUG PORTION PROTRUDING WITHIN AND SEALED AGAINST THE INTERIOR OF SAID CONTAINER NECK TO FORM A FIRST CONTAINER SEAL, AND SAID LID AND CAP FORMING A SNAP-IN SECOND CONTAINER SEAL. 